Lucci Lambrusco Secco 750ML

Lucci Lambrusco Reggiano DOC Secco (750ML)

Lucci Lambrusco Secco is a modern, premium, and food-friendly sparkling red wine that seeks to redefine the global image of Lambrusco for contemporary wine lovers. Co-founded by model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham in partnership with fifth-generation winemakers in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Lucci targets a category too often dismissed due to the cloying, sweet, mass-market expressions that dominated the late 20th century.

"Secco" explicitly denotes a dry winemaking style with minimal residual sugar, allowing the wine's natural, zesty acidity and savory structure to shine. This expression is crafted under a strict sustainability certification from estate-grown grapes—specifically a 50/50 blend of Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco Marani—cultivated in the chalky, mineral-rich soils of the Reggiano DOC. Vinified using the classic Charmat method (where secondary fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled pressurized stainless steel tanks), Lucci rolls out at an approachable, sessionable 11.5% ABV. It delivers a crisp, sophisticated effervescence and a texturally satisfying grip that elevates it far above standard pool-party tier bubblies.

Technical Wine Specs

• Size: 750ML Standard Clear Glass Format (Showcasing its striking ruby coloration)

• ABV: 11.5%

• Wine Type: Dry Sparkling Red Wine (Frizzante / Spumante)

• Classification: Reggiano DOC

• Grape Architecture: 50% Lambrusco Salamino (providing deep ruby color, structure, and body) and 50% Lambrusco Marani (contributing bright acidity and fresh floral aromatics).

• Winemaking Regimen: Charmat method secondary tank fermentation; sustainably certified production from estate vineyards.

• Origin: Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

• Critical Pedigree: Highly praised by top global critics from its debut, securing 91 Points from James Suckling for its vivid fruit and fine bubbles, as well as a 91-point "Best Buy" designation from Wine Enthusiast.

Tasting Notes: Flavor and Aroma Profile

The combination of Salamino and Marani clones guarantees an incredibly vibrant, purple-tinged ruby mousse when first poured into the glass, offering an inviting interplay between dark concentrate and light, peppery crunch.

• Aroma (Nose): Radiant, punchy, and highly fragrant. The bouquet opens with an upfront wave of dark berries, cassis sorbet, and wild plums, beautifully supported by secondary top notes of fresh red flowers, violet petals, and a savory hint of cracked black pepper and cured charcuterie.

• Palate (Taste): Medium-bodied, lively, and wonderfully texturing. The fine, persistent bubbles deliver an immediate, refreshing burst of juicy black cherries, ripe raspberries, and cranberry tartness. Across the mid-palate, it unrolls a distinctive, dusty mineral texture and light, supple tannins that ground the bold fruit oils.

• Finish: Exceptionally clean, refreshing, and dry. The fruit sugars vanish rapidly, closing with a trailing signature of racy acidity, a pleasant citrus-pith snap, and a savory, mouthwatering minerality that completely cleanses the tongue.

Service and Contemporary Mixology

• The Backyard Chill: To fully appreciate the snappy equilibrium of fine bubbles and bright fruit, Lambrusco must be served cold. Chill the bottle down to 50°F to 52°F (10°C to 12°C) in the fridge or an ice bucket before popping.

• The Glassware Option: Serve in a traditional Champagne flute to preserve the vertical dance of the fine bubbles, or opt for a standard white wine glass to allow the expressive violet and dark berry aromatics room to breathe and expand.

• The Lucci Kir Royale (The Italian Flip): Add 1 teaspoon of premium crème de cassis or crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) to the bottom of a champagne flute, then top completely with chilled Lucci Lambrusco Secco. The cassis acts as a natural flavor amplifier to the wine's native berry and floral notes, creating a deeper, more rustic alternative to the classic French standard.

Food Pairings

Thanks to its combination of prickly carbonation, puckering acidity, and light red grape tannins, dry Lambrusco is widely regarded by sommeliers as the ultimate "cheat code" for food pairings, easily cutting through heavy grease, salt, and fats.

• Wood-Fired Pizza & Charcuterie: An absolute, textbook pairing next to a Prosciutto di Parma pizza, a classic Margherita, or an artisan salumi board packed with mortadella, peppered salami, and chunks of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. The fine bubbles scrub the palate clean of heavy pork fats and dairy oils after every single bite.

• Smoky & Grilled Barbecue: Pair a chilled glass alongside Memphis dry-rub ribs, slow-smoked pulled pork sliders, or grilled barbecue chicken thighs. The wine’s underlying cracked-pepper complexity and berry pop match the char beautifully.

• Hearty Italian Pastas: It behaves beautifully next to rich lasagna, tagliatelle alla Bolognese, or creamy carbonara, where the racy acidity keeps the heavy pasta sauces feeling light and elevated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How sweet is Lucci Lambrusco Secco?

It is not sweet. It is explicitly vinified to a Secco (Dry) designation, meaning the vast majority of the grape sugars are completely fermented out into alcohol. While the upfront aromas of cassis sorbet and ripe raspberries might temporarily trick your brain into expecting a sugary liquid, the actual palate experience is remarkably crisp, tart, and bone-dry, finishing with a savory mineral edge.

How does this compare to cheap Lambruscos like Riunite?

They exist in entirely different quality and style universes:

• Mass-Market Styles (like Riunite): Are mass-produced, heavily sweetened, semi-sparkling (amabile or dolce) wines targeted at entry-level sweet palates.

• Lucci Secco: Is an artisanal, estate-grown, estate-bottled DOC-classified wine that prioritizes dry, low-intervention, and high-acid structures. Its 91-point critical pedigree ensures it acts as a serious, complex, and food-friendly dining table asset rather than a sugary soda alternative.

How long should I store this bottle?

Lambrusco is purposefully engineered by its winemakers to celebrate youthful energy, vibrant primary fruit terpenes, and explosive freshness. It is not a vintage red designed for long-term cellaring or decade-long bottle development. It is optimized and meant to be popped, chilled, and shared with friends within 1 to 2 years of purchase. Once the cork is broken, seal it with a pressurized sparkling wine stopper and consume within 24 hours to ensure the bubbles don't flatten out.